The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System (SCVHHS) comprises five departments: Valley Medical Center, Ambulatory and Community Health Services, Mental Health, Alcohol/Drug Services, and Public Health. The Valley Healthcare for the Homeless Program (VHHP) resides in Ambulatory and Community Health Services (ACHS), the primary provider of outpatient services.

ACHS operates a network of 10 fixed sites, along with a shelter clinic, two mobile medical units, and two mobile dental units. Nine of ACHS’s fixed sites, along with a mobile medical unit and a mobile dental unit form 11 access points for health care to individuals who are homeless or near-homeless and other vulnerable groups.

Services

ACHS provides a full range of primary and specialty care, dental, and ancillary services, including laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, health education, care management, nutrition, and social services. The service strategy is to use a care coordination model to create a “medical home” to improve access to health care, enhance health services, promote continuity of care, and strengthen linkages with non-medical housing and support programs.

24 hour emergency on-call, Asthma treatment, Basic Needs, Behavioral/Mental Health Care Services, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Cancer Screening, Case Management/Social Services, Chronic Bronchitis/Emphysema, Contraceptives (issued w/counseling), Dental/oral Care, Diabetes Testing/Care, Documenting Disability Services, Family Planning, Financial counseling, Flu Vaccinations, Health/Nutritional Education, HIV/AIDS screening/education, Housing placement, Immunizations, Interpretation services, Labs, Medical respite, Medication Prescribing, Medication Dispensing, Mental Health Counseling, Mobile Medical Services, OB/GYN, On-the-job training, Optometry Services, Outreach, Pain Clinic, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Physical Exams, Primary Health Care, Referrals for Specialty Care, Services in permanent supportive housing, Shelter outreach, Specialty Care, STD Testing, Substance Abuse Treatment, TB screening/education, Tobacco cessation, Urgent Care, Well Child Check-ups, X-rays

Linkages

ACHS works in partnership with its sister agencies in SCVHHS, other county departments, Emergency Housing Consortium, Gardner Family Health Network (also an HCH grantee), Community Health Partnership, a consortium of community clinics, Children’s Health Initiative, an insurance outreach effort, and an array of shelter, housing, food, job, faith-based, and other support services that serve individuals who are homeless. Additionally, ACHS collaborates with the Santa Clara County Collaborative on Housing and Homeless Issues on health care, housing, basic needs, and other services for homeless individuals.

Statistics

Estimated homeless population: 20,000 – 23,000

Patients served: 4,200